The British Geriatrics Society (BGS) calls for everyone who commissions or provides healthcare in care homes to follow the principles of good practice set out in the guidance we are publishing today, so that every older person who lives in a care home in the UK has access to high quality healthcare which fully meets their needs.

In welcoming the gesture by government to provide Councils with the flexibility to increase Council Taxes for the next three years, National Care Association urges some caution as we do not believe this can be the whole solution to what is now a critical national challenge.

The CQC,s review of the way NHS trusts review and investigate deaths has found that opportunities to learn from patient deaths are being missed " and too many families are not being included or listened to when an investigation takes place.